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Category Archives: TRAVEL + THE JOURNEY

We are pleased to introduce our first-ever Alabama Chanin newsletter. Each month (or so), you can expect updates about our newest designs, events, workshops, design projects, products, and other ideas and people we care deeply about.

You can update your subscription to include the newsletter (and our other offerings) by clicking here.

Our collaboration plates and dishes are a daily treasure in my home. My daughter sighs, “I want to eat on the star plate this morning.” “Star plate for a star student,” I reply.

HEATH was founded in 1948 by Edith Heath. “She was a talented ceramicist with a great respect for craft and material, and a strong point of view on the product that her company would make — simple, good things for good people.” Over 65 years later, the company is still dedicated to that same simple, functional (and beautiful) line of products.

My friends Cathy and Robin took over in 2003 and will soon be celebrating a decade at the helm of this company with an amazing history.

Dinnerware and tile are staple products under the Heath Ceramics name, but visit their website or store front and you will find an array of merchandise and collaborations in textiles, home accessories, glassware, and more.

We (HEART) this story in the newest NO’ALA Magazine (on pages 110-117) about our custom made Bridal gowns:

It takes a village:

“Once the elements of the gown are chosen, Diane, the master seamstress, measures the bride and Carra-Ellen cuts the fabric and prepares the pattern. Steven, the production manager, applies the stencil to the fabric using an airbrush technique. And with Natalie’s stamp of approval, Olivia prepares the kits for the artisans.

The artisans, who are all from the North Alabama area, are independent contractors, who charge per square inch, depending upon the intricacy of the stitching. This cottage industry-style production model allows artisans to work from their own homes and set their own wages.”

Plan ahead:

“Brides should allow three weeks for online orders and several months for a custom gown. ‘It’s a slow process,’ says Lyndsie, ‘but it’s well worth the wait.’”You can contact Lyndsie: office (at) alabamachanin.com. Look for our new bridal line to launch soon.

“Craft” might seem like it’s for the amateurs, and “fashion” for the auteurs. Yet we live in an age where creativity and innovation are increasingly found in collaborations between makers and users, crafters and designers, designers and manufacturers, and in the loosening of the boundaries between them. Open sourcing and the emergence of DIY everything (from apps to dresses to education) are THE design stories of the 21st century.

If the philosophers and economists are right, such stories reflect renewed possibilities for building communities, for growing businesses, and for practicing everyday forms of enchantment, ethics, and sustainability. It is time to expand our way of thinking about the relationship between craft and fashion, between the self-made and the ready-to-wear, between fashion as intellectual property and fashion as an open source. What can we learn from the fields of music, product design, and education? Does a backward glance help us see how fashion was at the forefront of these innovations from the start? What is a Vogue pattern if not an open source? What are les petits mains other than artists?

It’s the time of year when most of us start to look back at the past year to take stock and plan for the next. As a company, Alabama Chanin is no different. With a lot of help from our friends, we’ve brought the year to a (BIG) close with our first online Garage Sale.

This online event seems indicative of what an amazing year (decade) it has been. We were, quite honestly, bowled over by the outreach of support, excitement, and, well, love for what we do at Alabama Chanin. (We will be doing it again soon. Check our events page for updates and/or join our mailing list to stay in touch.)

Looking back on the whole year, it’s staggering to see just how many projects we’ve tackled, people we’ve met, and journeys we’ve taken – all infused with the same love that we experienced during our Garage Sale. Honestly, I can hardly believe that so many things happened all in one twelve-month span. It’s been 12 (REALLY) good ones.

Our Journal has been “on ice” of sorts since the launch of our new website. We needed this time to make a few obvious changes, some back-end updates, and, quite honestly, some time to fill all the great orders we received during our recent sale—thank you.

While we “soft launch” the new journal today, you will find that we are still in process, in progress, and polishing our game. However, we have lots of holiday cheer(s) to share over the next weeks and, well, we just want to get started. Look for special DIY projects, new recipes, and growing stories as we move through the season. We will be back to regularly scheduled—and new—programing at the first of the year (more on that to come).

In the meantime, roll up your sleeves, have a read, make an ice pop (it is 73° here in North Alabama today), dip your pop in Champagne (or Prosecco) and tell us what you think.
xoNatalie